Recently my family and I took a road trip to Quebec City in style! We tested the Acura MDX for the long weekend, thanks to Honda Canada.
The Acura MDX continues to be a popular choice for shoppers in the midsize luxury SUV range. Because it has three rows, it’s a great choice luxury crossover SUV for families.
The 2016 model has a few new additions, including a new nine-speed automatic transmission. It drives well, with a smooth smart and good acceleration but I’m not a fan of automatic stop-start system… I find it distracting when I’m on the road, but I understand it can save on gas.
The AcuraWatch Plus package adds a forward collision mitigation system with automatic braking, camera-based lane-keeping assist, Road Departure Mitigation and adaptive cruise control. Fancy schmancy!
Add this to many of the other features including lane-departure, blind-spot warning systems, adaptive cruise control and a collision mitigation system with automatic braking, the Acura MDX can almost drive itself!
On the road, the standard 3.5-liter V6 engine has good power. A nine-speed automatic transmission is standard, as is front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive (SH-AWD) available as an option.
The Acura MDX’s interior offers great storage; large cupholder, door bins, center bin for storing tech gadgets or your purse. I like the adjustability with its second-row seats which slide back and forth for extra room. The third row is best suited for kids, or smaller adults – not the 6 foot basketball player. Behind the second-row seats of the 2016 Acura MDX you’ll find about 40 cubic feet of cargo space.
There are three upgrades from base $52,990 unit — Navi ($55,990), Technology ($59,990) and Elite ($64,990). We had the pleasure of testing out the Elite model which was a treat!
Standard features are plenty: power lift-gate, sunroof, keyless entry and ignition, heater mirrors and heated front seats, leather interior, rear privacy glass, and more. As for standard technology, you’ll get a lower 7-inch touchscreen and an upper 8-inch information display, a multi-angle rearview camera, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, eight-speaker sound system with a CD player, an iPod/USB interface and more.
Upgrades in Elite mode include navigation system, ultrawide rear entertainment system with 16.2-inch display, which comes in handy to entertain the kids, surround-view camera system, and HDMI® input jack, Acura/ELS Surround® 546-watt Premium Audio System with AM/FM/SiriusXM™ tuner, MP3/Windows Media® Audio compatibility, DTS®, Dolby® Pro Logic™ II and 12 speakers including subwoofer. So your kids can pump up the volume and drive you insane, or when you’re cruising without them, you can jam to your own tunes.
The MDX Elite is equipped with all the tech you need – if you use it! I find all of the tech options a little daunting, but once you discover all of the features and get comfortable with them, then navigating the panels will come easier.
It also has ventilated front seats, genuine olive ash trim, heated second-row seats, rear side sunshades, auto-dimming power folding side mirrors, and front and rear parking sensors.
As for fuel economy, the MDX starts at 22 mpg combined (19 city/27 highway) with front-wheel drive. And the safety rating, which is priority for families, the MDX earned a perfect five-star overall rating in government crash tests, with five stars each for total frontal impact safety and total side-impact safety.
We enjoyed driving the Acura MDX Elite, and it definitely has a luxurious feel. At about $65,000, this vehicle is out of our price range, but I would recommend it as a safe, economical, smooth vehicle with enough space and cargo and features for a growing family.
